Get a Ravelry Account

There is a list starting up of people who will offer discount at wonderwool if you have a Ravelry Acct so I thought I'd send the link in case anyone wants to join.

GO Now Ravelry

Michelle Soloman (can usually be found at Tawe Guild on Tuesday eves)

A unique opportunity

A unique opportunity to take part in a public art project to be located within a bronze age funeral cairn on the top of the Black mountain for the period of one month next April Ann Jordan is looking for spinners and knitters to help create 'cwtch' - a knitted blanket 20ft diameter circular hand knitted blanket made from 12 miles of yarn spun from the fleeces of Welsh mountain sheep.The spinning and knitting is chunky and robust.The work celebrates the history, the environment and the people who live in the locality of the Black mountain.
Nell has already kindly spun the yarn for the site specific performance art work 'Metamorphosis'. Images and the shroud/cocoon willbe exhibited at the Walcott Chapel in Bath during the Bath Finge festival, which supports the music festival in May/June.
Ann can be contacted on 01792 281 or most Tues pm at The Cross.Ever yard and every row counts.Thanks. Ann b.jordan4@ntlworld.com

Ok so it's been awhile!

Time for a refresh of the blog, must be all the positive vibes in the air!!!

Thanks for all the great things you said about our dyeing day, I enjoyed it so much we'll do it again as soon as we can!!!

We will soon be able to clear our basement studio of 'tut' and put it into a new storage area, YIPPEE!!!!

This has cost an arm and half a leg so if you see Gill hobbling give her a hand! but you are all worth it!

We will need to do a few basic renovations to the space, paint, shelves etc but it looks like a lot of space!!!!

And that reminds me:

Nell warns we will be very tight for lifts to WONDERWOOL.

If you are car-sharing to wonderwool then,

please, please check your lift is sorted out,

its up to you , don't get left behind.

On, NEWS AND STUFF

We had an email from Jane Dean offering courses check her out here

and from The Dyfed Smallholders Association the following:

For our Monthly talk on 13 May 2009 The Dyfed Smallholders Association have a famous guest speaker from the knitting and textile world, the broadcaster, designer and wordsmith Brenda Dayne.

The meeting/talk begins at 7:45pm in the upstairs room of the Gremlin Club in Guildhall Square Carmarthen, opposite W H Smiths. Entry to the meeting is £2 to cover the hire of the hall or £1 to Dyfed Smallholders Association members. It is a social evening as well as the talk and all are welcome. For more information on this event and the Dyfed Smallholders Association please go to www.dyfedsmallholders.org.uk

Brenda Dayne came originally from Portland, Oregon but is now living in West Wales and she will deliver our May talk on the history of textiles in Wales. Brenda has made a huge name for herself in the textile and knitting world and this is evident from sites like cast-on.com where Brenda is the creator of the this knitting podcast. Brenda is obviously inspired by living in South West Wales as one of her designs is calledPembrokeshire Pathways Socks.

Brenda is a standard-bearer for craft and has said, "craft is to shopping what slow food is to restaurants. Buying high-quality things that needn't be replaced over time but instead may be passed on to future generations is not only old-fashioned, it is also worldchanging. Craft is slow retail, slow consumption."

If anyone thought that knitting was old fashioned - how very dare you!Look forward to seeing you at this event.

Regards,John Birtles

And more.....................this time from WelshArtNow

We are pleased to announce the launch of the online version of WelshArtNow the companion to the printed version of the magazine. We would like to thank the many thousands of you worldwide who have expressed an interest in this project. We have received messages of interest from a wide cross-section of society including those in the fields of politics, theatre, media, the arts and science. Thank you for your enthusiastic response! In our first issue artist Paul Matosic asks how green art is in a time of environmental crisis. We feature profiles of artists James Selway and Michael Gustavius Payne. James describes his new life in Spain and how this has influenced his art work. Michael Payne's work deals with the notion of the ‘hero’ and asks what modern meaning we can attach to the term. These are short articles, that we hope you will find interesting, to read them visit www.welshartnow.org

Martin Allman Editor

And also.....................................from Ravelry

UK Ravelry Day

www.britishyarn.org.uk

Saturday 6 June 2009

UK Ravelry day will be held on Saturday 6 June 2009 at the Central Hall, Coventry. It promises to be an exciting day and will include a market (outside building in the Bull Yard square), demonstrations, workshops, talks. The event is being headlined by Meg Swansen, daughter of Elizabeth Zimmermann. Other well known teachers include Jared Flood (Brooklyn Tweed), Ruth Paisley (Woolly Wormhead), Elizabeth Lovick & Debbie Bamford (Mulberry Dyer). There will also be collections for charities such as Knit in Gambia (baby clothes and shawls for older people) which is run by a Raveller and Liverpool NHS (knitted breasts which are used to teach new mothers how to breastfeed).

The theme of this year’s event is British yarn. Says organiser Jo Watson: “Last year I was growing increasingly interested in finding out why it is that a lot of the yarns I use are made abroad. We have over 60 different breeds of native sheep in the UK and although quite a lot of our wool is coarse and suitable for carpets, a good proportion could be used to make handknitting yarns. It is shocking that farmers have to burn fleeces. After reading some information on the British Wool Marketing Board’s website about how much wool is exported each year, I decided that I would try and do something on a small scale to support British sheep farmers during these tough economic times, by increading demand for British-made handknitting wools. It’s amazing how everyone who’s having a stall in the marketplace has risen to the challenge of sourcing British wool from British sheep.”

She continues: “I had an idea in the car at the beginning of January about how great it would be if Ravelry could sort of come into being for a day. So I could meet all the people I’ve met virtually on the forums, where we could all do in person what we do on Ravelry. I think Ravelry is the best contribution of the world of knitting there has been in recent times. “

Another theme of this year’s event is to support the United Nations International Year of Natural Fibres (www.naturalfibres2009.org). UK Ravelry day is the only non-academic event being held in the UK this year which has received accreditation from the United Nations.

The event is being sponsored by the new high quality UK knitting magazine, the Knitter.

The event is being organised as a not for profit day, with any leftover funds being donated to UK-based knitting charities as well as going towards next year’s week-long event. UK Ravelry Week 2010 will be held in Stirling, Scotland, during the first week of August 2010 and will include workshops by well known designers and excursions, and will end with UK Ravelry day on 7 August 2010. Details of next year’s event will be announced in June.

Stalls at UK Ravelry day (as of 15 March 2009) for list email debb as list is enormous!

Workshops at UK Ravelry day (correct as of 15 March 2009) timetable can be found at: http://www.britishyarn.org.uk/workshops.html

And from me , if you didn't get you newsletter, then email taweguild@gmail.com and we'll try again!


More to say soon and more photos too.

February workshop and other events

Warping with Norma Saturday 28th February

This is just to remind you to keep this date in your diary for the next workshop. More nearer the time. Remember to let us know if you are attending!

Women - centre stage.
We have been invited to demonstrate at the Dylan Thomas Centre on Friday March 6th at 19.00. Bring your wheels, looms or drop spindles. We'll rock the place as per usual!

International Women's Day
We have been asked to demonstrate at the Pontardawe Arts Centre on Sunday 8th March

More details to follow but keep the dates in your diary

I am off for a couple of weeks so don't panic if I don't reply to messages immediately- I need my wee holiday!!

Nell

Saturday workshop 24th January 2009

Just a reminder that next Saturday is the plying workshop. Bring loads of singles with you ready for the day, something for the communal lunch and a ready ear for my practicing of the "Address to a Haggis" Don't say that you haven't been warned!
Nell

NEWS FLASH!!!!!

TAWE GUILD LUNCH approx £16

Saturday 20th December 12 noon

Remo's

Aberavon Beach Front

Port Talbot

See you there, members don't forget to pick up your ' Christmas Box' !!!!!

Calendar for 2009

Hear ye! Hear ye!
The following Saturday workshops are planned for 2009
November 22nd 2008
Knotty Knick Knacks with Tony Colbourn from Mumbles Navy Days fame!
December 2008
Christmas lunch
January 24th 2009
Plying techniques with Liz Day from the Brecon Guild
February 28th 2009
Warping with Norma Thomas
March 28th 2009
Felt Jewellry with Lynda Cash
Places are limited so book and pay early to confrim your place
April 25th 2009
A day out at Wonderwool Wales

ANNUAL EXHIBITION
2 - 5 May 2009 at Aberdulais Falls

May 23 - 25 2009
Navy Days at Mumbles, general spin on the Saturday at the event
June 27th 2009
Fimo buttons with Chris and Debbs
July 25th 2009
Spin on the beach at Aberavon
August 10 - 15 2009
Exhibition at the Cross
September
Owain Glydwr Festival
September 26 OR Oct 3rd 2009
Llanidloes trip to the All Wales event

At the AGM it was decided to hold our AGM in early September. Date to be decided